Sylvia Renee Hasenöhrl

Sylvia Renee Blouin Hasenöhrl, age 92, passed away Thursday, August 7, 2025 at Signature Lifestyles of Jefferson City.

A lady of great faith, Sylvia will be best remembered as a loving mother & grandmother, a dedicated friend, and the woman at the center of one of the greatest love stories ever told.

Born August 2, 1933 in Seattle, Washington, she was one of five children born to Leonard & Pauline Blouin.

In her early twenties, Sylvia began work as a military hospitality hostess in Monterey, California. There, she met the father of her children. The couple married and moved to a Nebraska farm, where they raised four children and a grandson. Skills learned during childhood served Sylvia well on the farm, where she enjoyed baking, cooking, and canning. This was perhaps best illustrated by the popularity of her “famous” strawberry jam.

When her marriage ended, a beautiful new chapter of life began. Oddly enough, she had started writing that chapter at the age of twelve.

While in grade school near the end of World War II, Sylvia was assigned an Austrian pen-pal named Frederick, who – due to the conflict – found himself in care of the Red Cross. Although this correspondence began as schoolwork, their friendship blossomed into a genuine, lifelong connection. Sylvia & Fred maintained contact for decades, through what must have been hundreds of illustrated letters and magazine clippings. Despite the fact they had never met in person, the two knew many details of one another’s lives.

As they built their own separate lives, Sylvia and Fred somehow managed to maintain their strong friendship; sharing fascinating details of each other's lives through their letters. After raising their own respective families, both Sylvia and Fred found themselves again single as mature adults.

In 1982, Sylvia flew on an airplane for the first time to be face-to-face with a man she had known for over thirty years - but never met. The pen-pals' friendship grew as they spent the next two weeks together in Austria. The “unique vibrations” experienced there led Frederick to call and propose over the telephone just three days after Sylvia returned to the United States. Their marriage came quickly on the heels of his proposal; and the couple, indeed, lived happily ever after; with homes in Vienna and Tennessee.

Settling in Dandridge, the Hasenöhrls became members of Hopewell Presbyterian Church, where she served as office manager until her late 80s. That’s when she retired to care for Frederick, who had fallen ill with Alzheimer’s disease. He passed away in 2022… but the family takes comfort in knowing another beautiful reunion has now taken place.

In addition to her parents, all of her siblings, and her beloved husband Fred, Sylvia was preceded in death by her daughter, Paula Reddish, son, Dana Roy Spath, and granddaughter, Blair Spath.

Those left behind to tell her story are her children, Kevin (Sherri) Spath; Carrie (Steven) Case; children of the heart, Peter (Christina) Hasenöhrl, Martin (Barbara) Hasenöhrl; grandchildren, Bryce (Lisa) Dovenbarger, Erin Schmertz, Kelci (Daniel) Wood, Brieanna Harkey, Brooke (Josh) Alford, Dana Roy (April) Spath, Jr., Jessica Spath, Ashley (David) Hartrup, Blake Spath, Michael Spath, Paul Hasenöhrl, Markus Hasenöhrl, Lisa Hasenöhrl, Mira Hasenöhrl, Maya Hasenöhrl, Cindy (David) Curington, Lance & Lauren Rimmer; daughter-in-law, Linda Spath; numerous great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren, nieces, nephews, extended family and friends.

A Celebration of Life will take place at Hopewell Presbyterian Church of Dandridge at 11AM Saturday, August 16th, 2025 with Pastor Tracy Cagle officiating. The family will receive friends from 10AM to 11AM prior to the service. Interment will follow at the church cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial donations to the general fund at Hopewell Presbyterian Church – PO Box 215 Dandridge, TN 37725

Farrar Funeral Home of Dandridge is honored to serve the Hasenöhrl family.